Erich Wolfsfeld (1884-1956) - Etching Street Scene in Marrakech

Description

This detailed etching depicts depicts a man leading two goats stopping to talk to people in the street. Signed in graphite to the lower right. Presented in a glazed wooden frame. On paper.

Condition

The condition is typical for a picture of this age including some discolouration.

Size

25 x 32.9cm (9.8" x 13")
Framed Size: 38 x 49cm (15" x 19.3")

Artist Biography

Erich Wolfsfeld (1884-1956) was a painter and printmaker, born in Krojanke, West Prussia (Germany) to Jewish parents. The Wolfsfeld family moved to Berlin. Wolfsfeld enrolled at the School of Fine Arts in Berlin, and two years later, the Berlin Academy of Arts, 1902-13. He studied drawing under Konrad Bose (1852-1938) and etching with Hans Meyer (1846-1919). He become Meyer’s ‘Atelier Meisterschuler’ (star pupil). Whilst still at the Academy he was commissioned by the Prussian government to make copies of frescoes excavated at Priene, Turkey, by the archaeologist Weigand. During his time at the Academy he travelled to Paris studying at the Académie Julian under Jules Lefebvre. He lived in Rome and worked on etchings, mainly nudes and beggars. Beggars and unfortunates together with biblical themes and portrait studies became the main subject matter of his work, both in oil and etching. Back in Berlin in 1910, Wolfsfeld was awarded the Kaiser Wilhelm Gold Medal for his etching 'The Archers'.

During World War I Wolfsfeld served in the German army as an officer, primarily as a trainer of military police dogs. After the war he took a post as Teacher of Drawing at the Berlin Academy (he had been appointed in 1916) and soon after he was appointed Professor of Painting and Etching at the Berlin Academy, a position he held until removed by Nazi pressure at the end of 1936. He made an extensive painting trip through Egypt and Palestine and while living in Germany he showed in Vienna and in Berlin extensively. Wolfsfeld was dismissed from his post at the Berlin Academy and although unwilling to leave Germany, he was persuaded to come to Britain on the 'cultural quota'. Settling initially in Sheffield, where he was befriended by the artistic Pomerance family, he joined his wife who had preceded him to England in 1938 and was briefly interned as an enemy alien on the Isle of Man. Three days before World War II was declared, an exhibition of his work opened at the Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield. His first marriage dissolved he moved to London then married Hilda Lieberg, a well known corsettiere in North London. They lived in her home in Golders Green, where Wolfsfeld had a large studio. His British exhibition record included shows at Derby Museum and Art Gallery and he was also elected an Associate of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers. In 2005 a show at Wolfsfeld’s paintings, drawings and etchings was held at the Belgrave Gallery, London following on from the earlier 1977 exhibition.

His posthumous solo exhibitions included a 1958 Memorial Exhibition at the Ben Uri Art Gallery, a 1962 exhibition at the Jewish Community House, Berlin, 1972 exhibition of Etchings at Derby Museum and Art Gallery a 1973 exhibition of Etchings at Mappin Art Gallery, Sheffield a 1986 exhibition at Tib Lane Gallery, Manchester and a 1986 exhibition at Galerie Oevermann, Frankfurt and a 1991 Exhibition at Somerville & Simpson, London. Examples of his work are held in the collections of Bangor University, Ben Uri, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Bolton Art Gallery, British Museum, Burton-on-Trent Art Gallery, Derby Art Gallery, Dudley Art Gallery, Imperial War Museum, Kirklees Museums and Galleries, National Portrait Gallery, Usher Gallery, Victoria & Albert Museum amd in public galleries in Germany, Austria, Italy, Museum of Modern Art, New York, National Museum, Jerusalem and the Haifa Municipal Museum of Modern Art, Israel.

Location

Marrakesh, Marrakesh, Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco